Friendly Help 3/?
Title: Friendly Help 3/?
Pairings: Mark/Sabrina
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I own no one.
Summary: Mark and Sabrina have a relationship that most don’t understand, but it works for them. When Mark needs Sabrina’s help, she’s always there for him.
Comments: Welcomed and appreciated.
Chapter 3
Mark was excited and had to go there. He didn’t care if she wasn’t home or she was on some romantic date or whatever, he had to show her this sequence he just worked out! It was amazing and he wished he was dancing it with her, because she would definitely pull it off and make it amazing. He drove by her house and was slightly surprised to see her light on. He saw a figure cross the living room. It was her and her hair was thrown up and she had a small carton of ice cream, her thinking food. He didn’t think twice and wheeled in her driveway. He raced to her door and rang the doorbell. He laughed at her new ring. It played a part of BYou. It was that carefree and fun part of her that he missed so much.
“Uh…what are you doing here Mark?” He looked up and saw her standing in shorts and a cheetah print tank top. Her hair was indeed thrown up in that messy way that still made her look adorable. “Earth to Mark!!!”
“OH…sorry. I thought you had someplace to be! It’s just 10:30!” He looked at her suspiciously.
“What, so now you are checking up on me? Stalker much?”
“Sorry, I just assumed you had a hot date or something.”
“Yeah, well…no! Back to the question of what you are doing here?”
“Oh…yeah. I worked out this fantastic sequence and I want you to be the first to see it!”
“Seriously? This really couldn't wait until tomorrow?”
“You’ll love it, but it’s probably too hard for you. Sorry I bothered you. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He turned to walk off, knowing full well he wouldn’t get far with the challenge he just issued her.
“WAIT! I can do dance to any choreography!”
He turns grinning and she realizes he just played her. “Let’s just see if you’re right.” He gives her the cd to put in and then meets her in the middle of the room. She watched him first, and then the music was turned off for a quick run through with her. They turned the music back on and performed the sequence perfectly. “THAT was AMAZING Baby!”
She froze. It had slipped and she was now tense and uneasy because of that one little word. “Mark? Please don’t call me th…” He words were cut off by his.
“I’m sorry, it slipped. Can we just move past that?”
“Sure. Well, I wonder if we could continue this tomorrow? I haven’t been getting much sleep lately and I’m going to try to get some good sleep in tonight.”
“Why haven’t you been sleeping Bri? You know how you get when you don’t get your rest. I don’t want to see you like that, especially after last time. You had to take off all of that time just to recovery from your exhaustion.”
“I know Mark; I don’t need another babysitter though. It’s just a little sleep; I’ll catch up and be fine. Perfect really.” She smirked at him, but his eyes still held concern. “I’m fine Mark! Really, Now, go home and get some rest yourself and I’ll see you at 8.”
“Okay and Bri? Thanks for letting me show you that sequence. Morgan won’t be able to pull it off like you do. It’s pure magic watching you dance.”
“Thanks, but I’m not all magical or anything.” She blushed at his compliment. "Now…go! I need my rest and all.”
“Night Bri, thanks again and I’ll see you in the morning. I hope you have the sweetest dreams. I’m sure they will be if I’m in them.”
“You are full of yourself Mark Ballas! Goodnight!” She smiled at him and shut the door. She could hear him thru the door.
“Not even a hug! Hmph!”
She laughed at him, knowing he was doing that just for her to hear. She cleaned up and turned the light off and headed upstairs. She brushed her teeth and climbed into bed, flipping the lights off.
He waited until all the lights were off before he drove down the street. He found himself worrying about her again. She was hospitalized the last time she exhausted herself. It was after the movie, after the tour, after the Cheetah’s broke up and after their break up. For the first time ever she wasn’t able to face things. He had gone to visit her and she wouldn’t talk to him. He checked in with her everyday until he knew she was on the road back to herself. He had made Joanna furious, because he cared too much for her. Joanna was never good at sharing. He came back to reality and drove home. She may not appreciate him caring, but he would watch from afar and try to protect her from whatever it is she’s battling.
Sabrina woke up and hit the snooze button, rolling over and hugging her pillow tightly. Her head hurt this morning. She had slept, but it wasn’t a restful sleep. She had laid in bed thinking about him and then being mad at herself. They couldn’t go there and they both knew it. That path was destructive and led to heartache. She didn’t think their current relationship would survive another heartache. She pulled herself out of bed and into the bathroom. She got ready and then went downstairs for something to eat. A protein shake sounded about as good as anything. She grabbed it, a bottled water and her bag and went to get in her car.
“DANG IT!” Her front tire was completely flat. She went back in the house and flopped down. She pulled her phone out to make the call.
She heard his car pull up and grabbed her bag and headed out the door. She climbed into his car and he smiled at her. “So, your day isn’t starting off all that well, huh?”
“No,” she pouts. “It just figures though. I don’t feel great today and I didn’t have anything for a headache. Can we stop at a drugstore on the way?”
“I have some headache medicine. It’s in the glove box. I’ll even pull in and get your favorite Iced Coffee.”
“Thanks Mark. I’m not sure why you treat me so well, but thanks.”
“I treat you the way I do because you deserve it. Plus…” he grinned, “I have to caffeinate you up to keep you working with me today. It’s called looking out for number one!”
“It’s sad you don’t believe that! You aren’t a selfish person…so you just blew that. I appreciate it though. I promise I’ll be fine to work.”
“Great! When we get to the lot, Derek will be there. Just warning you!” He smiles at her.
She rolls her eyes and pouts. “He DOES know we aren’t dating, right?”
“Yup. He thinks we should be and he told me he was going to keep at it until we get together again. That’s what the warning was for. I’ve even threatened him. Just wanted to warn you of what’s coming, sorry.”
“He’s such a little brother! Stupid…” She stuck her lip out further.
“You’re gonna step on that thing if you stick it out anymore. Besides, you are much prettier when you aren’t pouting!”
“Mark Ballas! Stop this! We can’t be anything but sarcastic friends. Sincere leads to old feelings and old names and old times that were golden but went down in flames. I don’t want to relive that. Please stop being nice to me!”
Mark didn’t say a word. He got a solemn look on his face and concentrated on the road. Sabrina was scared to break this silence. Should she apologize for exploding or just let it ride? She didn’t know so she stayed quiet out of fear of the unknown. Thye arrive at the coffee shop and Mark parks, but leaves the engine running. He doesn’t say a word, but gets out and goes inside. She was about to turn his car off and get out to go in, when her phone rang.
“Hello?”
She heard a very calm voice. His voice. “Stop doing this! Stop acting this way. Why can’t we be friends? Do you only feel comfortable around me when we are slinging insults at each other?”
“Mark…”, she was quiet for a minute. Should she tell him the truth? “…it’s much easier for me this way. I’m sorry.”
“So if I want you as my friend and in my life, we have to sling insults at each other? That’s crazy and I think you know it. I want to hang out with the girl I first met. Can we do that? Today Bri, can we do that today?”
“If you want that, then we can try.” She was scared to do this, but he sounded so upset.
“Good.” He hung up and came out 5 minutes later with her iced coffee. “Ready?”
“Uh, yes.” She was slightly confused. He acted like they never had the phone conversation just a few minutes earlier. Maybe that’s the only way he could say what he had to.
They arrive at the studio and Sabrina sees Cheryl. She looks at Mark. “5 minutes…pleeeaaassseee!”
He smiled. Cheryl and her had become really close. “Sure. Meet me in studio B.”
“Thank you! I won’t be long.” She turned towards Cheryl screaming, “BABY LOVE!” Cheryl started laughing and the two gave each other air kisses. Mark thought it was funny, but turned to walk up to the studio and set up. He overhears Cheryl ask about what she’s doing with him and Sabrina tells her she’s just doing him a favor. A few minutes later, just as she promised, she appears through the door. She’s smiling and still has her laughter in her voice.
“Sorry, I’m here and reporting for duty,” she giggles.
“Great. Can we go over what we did last night and then we’ll start putting stuff together.”
“Sure thing boss.”
He smiled at her term for him. He knew it was her way of joking, because she had always told him how bossy he was at times when he was frustrated. They practiced through the morning and she was pure perfection at picking up his choreography and praised it as well. She always said he was an amazing choreographer. The broke for lunch and managed to avoid Derek. After lunch they worked for another 2 hours. Towards the end of the rehearsal, she started getting less sharp with her movements and forgetting steps. A sure sign she was tired.
“I have a group rehearsal for about an hour. I totally forgot or I would have offered to take you home first.”
“It’s okay. We wanted to finish this out today, I can hang out,” she yawned.
“OR…you could go crash in my trailer and take a nap until I’m done. You’re tired.”
“That’s probably not the best idea. I’ll find something to do, I’m fine.”
He’s sad she won’t take him up on the offer. She really is tired and he knows she could use the rest. He remembers how quickly she always fell asleep, so she could get in a full hour nap. They head outside and come face to face with Derek, who is grinning from ear to ear.
“Well, well, well. ‘Bout time!”
“Derek stop it! She’s helping me since Morgan is out of commission and that’s all this is! Leave her alone and don’t harass her.” Mark glared at him to make his point.
“Oh Marky, I’ll be in your trailer waiting for you. I’m going to miss you Baabby!” She jogged away leaving Mark with his mouth open. She turned around and glanced at him standing there with Derek laughing at him and calling him a big fat liar. She almost felt guilty! She had warned him he would end up paying a lot for her to do this for him. She laughed as she walked the rest of the way to his trailer.